


I've Seen a Hint of It

by context_please



Series: The Meaning of Brotherhood [4]
Category: Stargate - All Media Types, Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Brothers, Gen, basically a little glimpse into john's past
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-16
Updated: 2017-10-16
Packaged: 2019-01-18 05:44:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12382089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/context_please/pseuds/context_please
Summary: When John went riding, he almost felt free.





	I've Seen a Hint of It

**Author's Note:**

> This came out of thinking about John's past and how he loved working with horses. As for the horse's name, I couldn't help myself.

When John went riding, he almost felt free.

It was early in the morning, the sun barely peeking over the horizon and the grass of the paddock still covered in dew.

Zipping up his ratty old hoodie, John approached the stables. His brother Dave had never understood why John even _looked_ at the old item of clothing, let alone wore it, but then, Dave only ever got the best there could possibly be. There may have been a hole in the elbow and a tear in the cuff band, but the hoodie was John’s, and it made him feel warm and content. It was hard to feel that way in his household, so he took it whenever he could.

His boots squelched in the grass as he approached the stables, stopping at the tack shed to find the simplest leather bridle they owned. The others were decorated with coloured panels, ribbons and pressed patterns – too gaudy for a simple morning ride.

Continuing on, John opened the latch to his horse’s stall, placing a hand on the soft black nose that greeted him. Sabbath was _his_ horse, a giant black stallion that towered over any other his father owned. He looked menacing with his height and strength, but Sabbath was a gentle, even-tempered beast.

Smiling quietly at the stallion, John carefully slipped the bridle over his head and led them out of the stable. Sabbath stood still as he pulled himself up onto the horse’s bare back, sitting high on his shoulders.

John glanced towards the house, expecting to see no signs of life, but instead confronted by the sight of his brother’s face in the front window. Dave watched him with an expression John didn’t recognize, standing in his pajamas in the early hours of the morning.

Turning his back, John nudged Sabbath forward, out of the yard and into the huge expanse of field on the property. The birds were only just starting to awaken, so the world was quiet, like it had just halted for them.

Satisfied that it was just the two of them, John nudged Sabbath forward into a canter, then into a gallop.

The cool wind whipped into his face, the weak sunlight hitting his cheeks and turning them a bright red. Underneath him, he could feel the powerful muscles of Sabbath’s back and shoulders working with smooth grace, the sweep of huge lungs and the steady beating of his strong heart. Rolling his back with Sabbath’s stride, no barriers between them, John almost felt free. He was no longer tethered to the Earth, bound to his destiny as the CEO of a soulless corporate company with nothing truly fulfilling in life. Instead, he was flying, soaring as high as he could, higher even than the Earth itself. Nothing could hold him.

As he brought Sabbath back to a walk, John knew he wanted to fly. He glanced upward, saw the clouds tinted a weak orange with the rising sun, and knew that nothing would keep him from the sky.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, folks!


End file.
